Notable events involving Surf include:

The history of HMS Surf as compiled on this page is extracted from the patrol reports and logbooks of this submarine. Corrections and details regarding information from the enemy's side (for instance the composition of convoys attacked) is kindly provided by Mr. Platon Alexiades, a naval researcher from Canada.

7 May 1943HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) departed Lerwick for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol to the North-East of Iceland to intercept German warships that might try to break out into the North Atlantic.

For the daily positions of HMS Surf during this patrol see the map below.

18 Aug 1943HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) arrived at Algiers. She arrived with a defective air compressor that needed repairs before she could go on patrol. She had already spent several weeks at Gibraltar for repairs to the air compressor. (6)

4 Oct 1943HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) was recalled and returned to Suez where she arrived later the same day. She was to proceed to Beirut to join the 1st Submarine Flotilla based there due to the worsening situation in the Aegean. (8)

1630 hours - Surfaced and opened fire on one small caique and one small vessel that looked like an HDML from a range of 5000 yards.

1635 hours - Dived after firing 20 rounds for no hits. (9)

16 Oct 1943HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) encountered the British drifter Hedgehog. After firing warning shots her identity was established and she was taken in tow as her engine had broken down. After her engine was repaired she continued on her own.

Later on the same day Surf was depth charged while trying to attack an escorted enemy merchant vessel to the West of Kalymnos.

(All times are zone -3)
0605 hours - Sighted a darkened ship.

0627 hours - Fired two rounds over a caique. She flashed 'English' and shortly afterwards 'Hedgehog'. She was then closed and it was found out it was the British 'drifter' Hedgehog with British Commandos ad 52 German Pow's. Her engine had broken down.

1602 hours - One of the ships was seen to be a merchant vessel in ballast of about 3000 tons. She was escorted by what looked like a minesweeper of the British Abingdon-class. Started attack. [This was the German merchant Trapani (1855 GRT, built 1926). She was escorted by UJ-2109, the former British minesweeper HMS Widnes. So this was a very much correct identification by Lt. Lambert).]

1633 hours - The escort obtained contact. She turned towards so went deep.

1635 hours - Two depth charges were dropped.

1650 hours - The escort had lost contact so started to come up. Shortly afterwards the escort however regained contact and she came overhead dropping three depth charges. One of these was very close causing minor damage.

1705 hours - Two more depth charges were dropped but these were not very close.

1745 hours - Returned to periscope depth. Saw the merchant vessel in the Kalymnos Channel and the escort off the South end of Kalymnos Island.

1951 hours - Surfaced in position 36°58'N, 26°37'E. (9)

25 Oct 1943HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) engages the German auxiliary patrol vessel GA 54 / Chiaros with gunfire North-East of Amorgos, Greece. No hits were obtained and Surf was forced to dive by return fire from the German ship.

0730 hours - Surfaced in position 37°00'N, 26°04'E and closed at speed. Opened fire with the 3" gun from 5000 yards.

0737 hours - Dived after having fired four rounds, no hits were obtained. The enemy meanwhile had turned towards and opened fire with a 6pdr or 12pdr gun. Her gunfire was getting close. The enemy dropped three depth charges but these were a long way off.

0750 hours - The enemy made off at speed making a lot of smoke. (9)

29 Oct 1943HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) twice attacked the German merchant Gertrud (1960 GRT, built 1930, former Danish Gerda Toft) with two torpedoes (so four in total) while she is anchored in Port Panormos, Kalimnos, Greece. No hits were obtained.

(All times are zone -3)
1205 hours - Sighted a merchant ship and one escort bearing 250 degrees. Also 2 Arado 196 aircraft were sighted patrolling the area.
Started attack.

8 Dec 1943HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) made an unsuccesful torpedo attack on the German merchant Leda (4572 GRT, built 1943, former Italian Leopardi) in position 37°45'N, 25°33'E.

(All times are zone -3)
0930 hours - In position 37°45'N, 25°33'E heard HE bearing 084°.

0940 hours - Sighted mast bearing 080°.

0945 hours - Sighted a merchant ship of about 3500 tons. Started attack.

0948 hours - Sighted two escorts on each beam. Several Arado 196 and JU 88's were also patrolling overhead.

1007 hours - Fired four torpedoes from about 3000 yards. Unfortunately the 3rd torpedo of the salvo did not left the tube but this was not realised at the time. Went deep upon firing. It was thought that a possible hit on one of the escorts was obtained.

1040 hours - 10 Depth charges were dropped but none were close [These were dropped by the destroyer TA 16 (former Italian Turbine)]. The other escorts were the destroyer TA 15 (former Italian Francesco Crispi) and the motor minesweeper R 8.

1055 hours - Returned to periscope depth. Nothing in sight, not even aircraft.
(9)

1854 hours - Fired three torpedoes from 4800 yards at this ship of about 3000 tons. It was intended to fire four torpedoes but like yesterday no.5 torpedo tube did not fire o fired the stern torpedo also.

1859 hours - The stern torpedo hit the ship in the stern. She sank vertically in 8 minutes in position 39°43'N, 25°23'E. Retired to the Southward. (9)

5 Mar 1944HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) sank a small Japanese tug and a barge with gunfire off the East coast of Sumatra.

(All times are zone -6.5)
0829 hours - Near position 03°32'N, 99°50'E sighted masts of two ships bearing 162°. Closed. These ships turned out to be a fuel lighter and a tug of about 250 tons. The tug went alongside an armed motor sampan.

0935 hours - The lighter began to circle surf, probably she had sighted the periscope.

0940 hours - Surfaced for gun action. 35 Rounds were fired for at least 25 hits. The lighter was now on fire fore and aft.

0947 hours - By now the tug and two armed sampans had scattered. Chased the tug and engaged one of the sampans while passing it firing 10 rounds for unfortunately no hits.

4 Apr 1944HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) departed Trincomalee for her 6th war patrol (2nd in the Far East). She was ordered to patrol the Northern entrance to the Malacca Strait on an anti-submarine patrol.

6 May 1944HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) departed Trincomalee for her 7th war patrol (3rd in the Far East). She was ordered to patrol the off the South-West coast of Siam and to lay a minefield off Tatutao Island.

For the daily positions of HMS Surf during this patrol see the map below.

9 Jun 1944HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) departed Trincomalee for her 8th war patrol (4th in the Far East). She was ordered to patrol the off the South-West coast of Siam, to conduct a special operation and to lay a minefield.

For the daily positions of HMS Surf during this patrol see the map below.

At 2020 hours, in position 05°04'N, 90°13'E, HMS Surf began broadcasting and also sent a dummy message to Ceylon. This was a diversion to simulate the presence of a task force threatening Sabang. In fact the aircraft carriers HMS Illustrious and escort carrier HMS Atheling had sortied for a deception operation but were already returning home when HMS Surf began the simulation. Eight days later, HMS Illustious raided Port Blair in the Andamans (operation 'Pedal'). (9)

14 Jun 1944In the morning HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) lays mines in the Strait of Malacca about 30 nautical miles to the West of the Butang Island near position 06°30'N, 98°35'E (details 'hopefully' to follow). (9)

2 Sep 1944HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Trincomalee. During these exercises a main motor was flooded damaging it beyond the repair capacity of the depot ship. It was therefore decided to sent HMS Surf back to the U.K. to refit. (20)

27 Jun 1945HMS Surf (T/Lt. T.D. Wood, RNVR) arrived at Blyth. On VJ-day HMS Surf was still at Blyth. It had been intended that she would sail to the Far East in early August 1945 to arrive there in October but due the war with Japan having ended she was retained in home waters. (26)

Sources

ADM 173/18148

ADM 173/18149

ADM 173/18150

ADM 173/18151

ADM 173/18152

ADM 173/18153

ADM 173/18154

ADM 173/18155

ADM 199/1870

ADM 173/18156

ADM 173/18157

ADM 173/18898

ADM 173/18899

ADM 173/18900

ADM 173/18901

ADM 173/18902

ADM 173/18903

ADM 173/18904

ADM 173/18905

ADM 173/18906

ADM 173/18907

ADM 173/18908

ADM 173/18909

ADM 173/19786

ADM 173/19787

ADM 173/19788

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.